Prosecutors add new leak charge to Comey's case before deadline

The Department of Justice has charged former FBI Director James Comey with leaking national defense information, marking the third federal case now against him. Prosecutors filed the new charge to ensure the statute of limitations did not expire this month.

Court documents unsealed on Monday detail the specific accusation. The criminal information alleges Comey transmitted classified details to a New York Times reporter in October 2016. The filing names the offense as transmitting and conspiring to transmit national defense information.

Comey's legal team, led by Patrick Fitzgerald, immediately challenged the move. Fitzgerald stated in a written release that the filing purports to charge Comey with crimes he did not commit. The defense has already asked a judge to dismiss the case on the grounds that it is legally improper.

This latest filing joins two other active legal battles for the former director. The Justice Department previously accused Comey of lying to Congress about media leaks, though a judge dismissed that specific case. A separate charge regarding threats made against President Donald Trump in a social media post remains pending.

Comey addressed the news directly on social media. In an Instagram video, he stated that the Department of Justice is back again and reiterated that he is still innocent. The document was originally filed on October 5 but remained hidden until the defense requested it be made public.

A Justice Department spokesperson called the procedural step a widely recognized practice in federal court. The department described the matter as an ongoing criminal investigation and declined to provide further comment beyond the initial filing.